Just when the days start to get longer and the cold gets less intense, just when summer vacation destinations start to appear like a carousel in your mind. That is often the best time to plan a nice ski mountaineering trip.
From Milan the choice is wide but with one eye on the snow conditions, one on the wallet and the third aimed at the desire for an unforgettable adventure, this choice narrows and the finger on the map of the Alps begins to move to the border areas, where the snow still struggles to leave space for the spring greens. The scrolling of the finger stops in Bormio, where last summer we signed a couple of memorable hikes, and points towards a valley that I have often heard about but have not yet seen: the Val Viola.
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Off to Bormio
There is a Polish girl, a Spanish girl and a Swede… It seems like the beginning of a joke rather than an adventure, but this time I joined a diverse group of journalists and influencers from various places with a common passion, that of the mountains and off-trail snow.
We met for dinner at the Rini Farmhouse in Bormio where, while enjoying a first-class culinary experience, accompanied by delicious Valtellina wines, we saw the stable with the cows eating hay through a window.
Our guests tell us about the excitement in town because of Milano Cortina 2026, the Winter Olympics are imminent now and Bormio is directly involved with the Alpine skiing classics. However, we are not here to carve on the legendary Stelvio, but rather to leave our signatures on some off-piste of the area.
Giuliano Bordoni, a friend and Alpine Guide from Grosio, has always talked to me about the beauty of Val Viola but I have never had the chance to visit it in either of the two ideal seasons (winter and summer), but this time the planets align and that’s where we’ll go ski mountaineering on the first day.
The Val Viola
Val Viola is an enchanting alpine valley located near Bormio, in the heart of the Rhaetian Alps on the border with Switzerland, and is an ideal destination for those who love uncontaminated nature, mountain landscapes and ski mountaineering or panoramic excursions. This valley is an authentic naturalistic jewel: it extends through larch and fir forests, crystalline streams and alpine lakes, with a constant view of the imposing peaks of the group, such as Cima Piazzi, Corno di Dosdè, Cima Viola and Cima Lago Spalmo. One of the most evocative elements of this place is the presence of several glacial lakes such as Lago Viola, which in summer with its intense blue color, surrounded by a frame of pastures, gives peace and refreshment.
If in winter the blanket of snow creates a magical atmosphere, transforming the place into a kingdom of silence, in summer the valley is crossed by well-marked paths, ideal for trekking, mountain biking or simple walks. In addition to the flora, the fauna is also rich, in fact it is not uncommon to encounter chamois and golden eagles.
From a geological and landscape point of view, Val Viola is an extraordinary example of a glacial valley, with moraines, hanging valleys and rock formations shaped over the centuries by glaciers. Despite its beauty, the valley is still less crowded than other tourist areas, which increases its appeal for those seeking tranquility and authenticity.
The group, accompanied by Adriano Greco, Alpine Guide and manager of the refuge Federico in Dosdè,, has as its objective the summit of Lago Spalmo: 3,294 m, in the group lower in height only than Cima Viola: 3,374.
It is a medium-high difficulty ski mountaineering route and if the valley start is on almost flat terrain, the difficulty and slope gradually increase, up to the sections near the summit when you need to put on crampons and continue roped in.
The weather is not the best today and it snows at intervals, but we still manage to appreciate the valley in all its magnificence and enjoy, after the efforts of the climb, a wonderful powder that will take us with a smile on our faces to the starting point.
Bormio and his history
In the evening, after a couple of hours spent at the Bagni Vecchi spa, we have the opportunity to get to know Bormio better, a town that has its roots in ancient times. A crossroads for wine trade and salt towards Switzerland, it still has intact historic buildings, such as the 19th-century Gymnasium, the church of Saints Gervasio and Protasio (the oldest in the city), the Torre della Bajona or “delle Ore”, the 13th-century Torre Alberti and the historic Braulio cellars, a maze of tunnels that, 35 meters deep under Via Roma, are still the site of production of the famous bitter.
Vallaccia
The next morning the alarm rings early, the clouds have thinned out and it promises to be a splendid day. The transfer takes us to the Foscagno road where at the parking lot after the tunnels we put the skins on the skis and start climbing.
Today we will climb fewer meters of altitude but the peaks we will reach will allow us to see the Val Viola and Val di Dosdé from another perspective.
The difficulty of the Vallaccia itinerary that we follow (the ridge between Monte Settaron and Monte Foscagno) is not high and reaching this peak with its 2,900 m of altitude is pleasant and fun. This time, due to the sun exposure, the snow is not always perfect but this descent will also give us long and fun stretches in the powder.
The faces are smiling when we return to the parking lot and the foreign guys look like they have found a pearl of unexpected value on this side of the Alps. I can only confirm the impression I had last summer: Bormio and its surroundings really have so much to offer and the real joy is that there is still so much to discover…
